Improvement in revolving fire-arms



' UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVL'VING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,693, dated February 17, 1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN O. HOWE, oi' Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Revolving Fire-Arms 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a side view of a pistol with my improvements, representing itin condition for use. Fig. 2 is a side view, representing it with the cylinder-frame open and the cylinder removed, the stock partly in section, and the side plate removed to expose the lock to view. Fig. 3 is a top View corresponding with Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is 4a top view of the barrel. Fig. 5 represents side and end views of the revolving cylinder. B is the side view, B the Vfront end view, and B the back end View.

Fig. 6 represents bottom, top, and side views ot'a spring-latch which connects and locks the barrel with the upper part of the frame, and

j attaches the cylinder to the barrel when the frame is' open. E is the bottom view, E the top view, and E the side view. Fig. 7 represents face, side, and back views of a. recoilplate, secured to the frame just back of the revolving cylinder. D is the face view, D is the side view, and D is the back view. Fig. 8 is a vertical section, parallel with the length ot' the arm of the recoil-plate and the part of the frame in rear of it. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the frame, taken immediately in rear of the recoil-plate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures. i

The nature of my invention consists, first, in the employment, in combination with a cylinder -frame opening by a movement on a hinged joint arranged in front of and below the line of the axis of the cylinder, and with an axis-pin secured to the barrel, ot' a springlatch so constructed and applied as to serve the two purposes of connecting and locking the barrel with the upper part of the frame, and ot securing the cylinder upon the axis-pin when the barrel is disconnected from the upper part of the frame.

It consists, secondly, in so constructing the spring-latch and thek hammer that when the hammer is down it aids insecurin g the'springlatch in its connection with the frame, and so aids in securely locking the barrel to the upper part of the frame.

It consists, thirdly, in so constructing the axis-pin and applying the same, in combination with the barrel or'frame of the arm, that while remaining attached to the barrel or frame it may be employed to expel from the chambers of the cylinder the cartridge cases or shells, or other matter which may remain therein after firing the arm, and it consists, finally, in a certain inode ot applying a detachable recoilplate, incombination with the spring which keeps the revolving dog to its work, whereby the said plate, while allowing the dog to work through it, is made to aid the said spring in excluding from the lock any gases escaping at the rear of the cylinder in firing.

The barrel A is made similar to those now in use. Its form and proportions, as well as many other parts of the arm, may he varied to suit the taste of the maker.

I is a part projecting downward and at the breech of the barrel A. At the lower extremity of I is formed a joint, a, uniting the barrel with the frame, the center of which joint must be below the line of the axis of the cylinder,

and may be on a line, or nearly so, with the lower line of the periphery of the cylinder when the cylinder is upon the axispin,the object of whichjoint is to connect thebarrel A with the frame H, and to allow the barrel to oscillate. Thejoint a must be so situated that when the cylinder is properly upon its axis-pin, and contains any ammunition adapted to it .or not, the oscillation of the barrel and cylinder shall not be obstructed by the recoil-plate D.

J is a part which project-s from the barrel at its breech, in line with the upperportion of the barrel, and extends partly over the cylinder. The lower face of J is made to conform to the 'periphery ot' the cylinder. In the upper surface of J, and extending partly over the breech of the barrel, a seat (see b, Fig. 4) is furrowed, having rectangular sides, to receive and hold the sprin g-latch, hereinafter described. The portion of this seat marked c is countersunk to receive a corresponding projection or head upon the under side ot' the spring-latch. Said projection is marked d in E, Fig. 6.

The axis-pin C, (see Fig. 2,) upon which the cylinder revolves, is secured to the lower projecting part, I, of the barrel parallel with the bore .of operation.

of `the barrel, and at such distance therefrom` that as the cylinder is made to revolve its chambers will come, one at a time, in a true line or range with the bore of the barrel. The diameter, length, and form of this pin are such that it may be employed to expel from the chambers of the cylinder the cartridge cases or shells, or other matter which may remain after firing the arm. For this purpose the projecting or outer end ofthe pin may be finished square or with a cutting edge or shoulder.

, The frame H (see Fig. l) is similar to those ir use, except the joint a, which has already p been described and its uses set forth.

lhe recoilplate Dv is V*made* separately, of about the same diameter across its face as the cylinder, having oval flanges upon its reverse side D" projecting upon and fitting the frame,

to which it is secured by a screw. It has an opening or slot, u, through which the dog q, for revolving the cylinder, works. The face or front of this plate is finished flat and smooth.

, lt is made separately from the frame and detachable, for two reasons, one of which is that different metals may be used for it and the frame, and a better nish and more perfect working of the adjacent and associated parts may be secured; and theother is that it ati'ords greater facility for the protection of the lock from gases. escaping at the rear ot' the cylinder by permitting the spring t, which presses the dog q .forward against the back of the cylinder, to be arranged behind the reeoilf plate, and in front'ot' the portion of the frame which supports the said plate, as illustrated in Figs. S and l). 'lhis spring t works in a slot, u',

inthe frame H, through which the dog q also works', the said slot being of the same width as theslot u in the recoil-plate, and the dog and the spring both fitting as snugly in the slots u and u as is consistent with theirproper freedom The upper front part ofthe slot u is made of a form to serve as a bearing, against which the spring is secured by a screw, t', which screws "into the frame H and whose head is countersunk thereinto, so that it may be covered by the recoil-plate, as shown in Fig. 8. The slot u in the recoil-plate is thus enabled to be made shorter than the slot u in the frame, and made to cove `a portion of the latter slot, and so the vrecoi -plate is made to partly cover the latter slot and in a measure toexcludethe gases therefrom, and the por-` tion notso covered is closed almost entirely by the dog q and spring t fitting so snugly within it.l

E is a part of the arm, which 1 call a springlatch,77 by means of which it is convenient to connect and disconnect the barrel and the frame over and just back of the cylinder, so that when the barrel is disconnected or unlatched from the frame it (thev barrel) may oscillate upon the joint a, and thus expose the cylinder in a mannerconvenientforloadin g and unload- Another feature of this improvement is that when the barrel is unlatched from the frame the cylinder is retained upon its axis-pin by means of a shoulder, lr, in the spring-latch, while by lifting they spring-latch the cylinder is released from the shoulder k, and can be easily withdrawn from the axis-pin. For cavalry use this feature in the improvement is Veryimportant, as when the barrel is unlatched from the frame-or, in other words, when the arm is opened for loading-the cylinder is secured against being dropped, while yet it is easy and convenient to quickly separate the cylinder from the rest of the'arm, and, if necessary to remove the cartridges, shells, or other matter from the chambers of the cylinder, the axis-pin C, as before described, is so situated and so formed as to be conveniently used for that purpose.

I will describe the spring-latch E.

d is a projecting head upon the under side of the latch, which lits into a corresponding countersink, c, (see Fig. 4,) in the upper side and near the rear end of the barrel. Through the center `Yof d, and entering the center of c, a screw, c, (see Fig. 2,) connects the latch at this point rmly with the barrel. This connection matches and locks the parts together, so as effectually to resist any strain that may come upon them in the use of the arm. l

From the'connection at c to the end of that part of the barrel marked J the latch is formed to occupy the groove or seat b, before described, (see Fig. 4,) the thickness of this part of the latch being governed by the degree of motion or spring required. At the extremity of the part of the barrel marked J the latch is formed to a shoulder on the under side, fitted so as to abut at the end of -the part J, and this portion of the latch is shaped like the part J on the under side-t'. e., to conform to the periphery of the cylinder.- At a proper point (marked k) another shoulderis formed on the under side of the latch, sufficient to retain thecylinderin its -place when the parts are adjusted. At a proper distance back from the shoulder k' the latch is-provided with indentations or holders, (see g g,) to connect and disconnect with suitable parts or projections (see ff) attached to the frame, so as to conveniently latch and unlatch the barrel and frame.

h is an opening through which the hammer Y Instead of the hammer being made with catches or hook formations j, and the spring latch being made with recessed shoulders t' t', as described, the hammer may have its nose tapered'in a downward direction, and the openi ing hin the spring-latch may be made with a corresponding down ward taper, and the nose ot' the hammer fitting snugly in this taper-groove when the hammer is down will lock the spring-` latch with the same result as is producedlby the eatchesj and recessed shoulders z' i.

m (see E) is a stop to regulate the motion of the spring-latch and to protect it from injury in use. y

ff (see Figs. 2 and 3) are projections inserted into or made part ofthe frame to connect and disconnect with suitable recesses in the springlatch (seegg) for fastening and unt'astening the barrel and frame.

The hammer is similar to those in use, except it is provided with catches or hook formationsj, or has its nose tapering downward, as before described.

The cylinder is similar to those in use, except that the axis or center hole is made so nearly like the caliber ot' the chambers that the axis-pin O may be used for the purposes herein before described, and the central hole is slightly enlarged at its forward end, 4, (see red dotted lines B B,) to more freely admit the end of the axis-pin.

The lode-G is the hammer; n, the mainspring; q,theleversecured to the tumbler part of the hammer and extending upward through the opening u in the recoil-plate D, to operate against notches in the rear end of the cylinder, so as to revolve the same at each cock of the hammer, and to bring one of its chambers inline with the bore of the barrel.

o is the swivel or stirrup. e is the triggerspring behind the trigger. (See red dotted lines.) w is the movable lock-cap. t' is a stoplever (shown by red dotted lines, see Fig. 2) situated in a groove in that part of the frame which is under the cylinder, and secured at its forward end by a screw, 2, the other end extending within the lock-case on which (last end) is formed an angular tooth. This lever is provided with a stud, s, projecting from its upper side and made to lit into the depressions or stop-holes x, Fig. 5, in the periphery of the cylinder, for the purpose of holding the cylinder when it has been revolved to the proper position for irin g. This lever is pressed upward by a spring secured beneath it.

p is a fly similar' to those heretofore in use. It moves on a pivot, and is placed in a recess formed in the tumbler part of the hammer.

- Thelowerend of this fly is angular, or so shaped as to operate upon the angular tooth on the end of the stop-lever, and the proportions and arrangement of the fly and stop-lever, working together and in combination with the hammer,

as described, are such that while the hammer is being drawn back to full-cock the lower end of the fly shall press upon and pass forward over the angular end of the stop-lever, causing the stud s to be withdrawn at the proper time from its place in the cylinder, and while the hammer descends, as in tiring the arm, the motion of the ily is reversed, and its lower end passes back over theangular end ofthe stop- Iever without causing the stud s to be wholly withdrawn from the cylinder.

In using this arm Jiirst liftthe hammer G to half-cock, then, holding the arm by its handle F with one hand, take hold ofthe serrated edges of the spring-latch E with the thumb and foretinger of the other hand and lift the springlatch, then press the barrel downward into the position shown in Fig. 2, when the cylinder will be in position for the introduction of fixed ammunition, or to be easily removed from its pin. To remove the cylinder from its axis-pin lift the springlatch E until the shoulder 7c will allow the cylinder to pass it freely. When the cylinder is detached the axis-pin may be conveniently introduced into each of the chambers ofthe cylinder, so as to expel the ammunition shells, cases, or other matter which may remain after ring the arm; but ordinarily the ammunition-shells, after tiring, can be taken from the chambers by the lingers without removing the cylinder.

The object of this improvement is to produce a more perfect and reliable side-arm, and one more particularly adapted for the use ofmounted men.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The spring-latch E,'constructed and applied to serve the two purposes of connecting and locking the barrel to the upper part of the frame, and of securing the cylinder on the axis-pin when the barrel is disconnected from the upper part ofthe frame, substantially as herein described.

2. So constructing the rear end of the springlatch and the head or nose of the hammer that when the hammer` is down it aids in securing the spring-latch in connection with the frame, substan tiall y as herein specified.

3. So constructing an axis-pin and applying the same, in combination with the barrel or frame, that while remaining attached to the barrel or frame it may be used to expel from the chambers of the cylinder the cartridge cases or shells, or any other matter-which may remain therein after tiring, substantially as herein described. i

4. Though I do not claim a movable recoilplate, I claim the combination of the detachable recoil-plate D and the springt, inserted in the front of the frame, and secured by a screw, t', covered by thesaid recoil-plate, substantially as and for the purpose herein described..

Hartford, August 30, 1862.

JOHN C. HOWE. [L s.]

Witnesses:

GEO. T. THOMPSON, GaAs. T. HALL. 

